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Battle Tower
The Battle Tower is the location for one of the two battling systems on GPX+. Unlike its earlier counterpart, the Vs. Seeker, the Battle Tower represents a closer implementation of console Pokémon battling, allowing users to challenge each other or computer-controlled trainers (non-player characters, or NPCs) in 3-on-3 or 6-on-6 Pokémon battles for various rewards. Nevertheless, there are a number of subtle changes from the mechanics of the game-based battling system, implemented to help balance the battle system and reduce the complexity of team building while allowing for more flexibility in Pokémon choices. Battling Users are able to import up to 18 Pokémon into the Battle Tower from anywhere on the site. By selecting the Start a battle tab, players are given a variety of options for challenging other users: Choosing Opponents Matchmaking: Two random users who have chosen this option and match the other criteria will be paired together in battle. When a match is made, the challenge icon (a speech balloon with a red exclamation mark) will appear in the Navigation Bar. Challenge another user: The challenger can enter a username to attempt to battle that user. If the user is online, visible, and can be challenged according to their privacy settings, the challenged user can either accept or reject the challenge. If accepted, the challenge icon will appear for the challenger; if rejected, the challenger cannot request to battle that user for the rest of the day. Level Range The challenger can choose among four different level bracket: 1-25, 26-50, 51-75, and 76-100. All Pokemon's stats are normalized within a level bracket such that a level 1 Pokemon would not be at a disadvantage to a level 25 Pokemon. Number of Pokemon The challenger can request either a 6-on-6 or 3-on-3 battle. Type of Battle Normal battles are similar to the most common battling type in the game; one Pokemon against one Pokemon at a time. This setting mimicks the "Set" option in the handheld games. Rotation battles are similar to Normal Battles but allow switching without penalty. This setting mimicks the "Shift" option in handheld games. Pokémon The mechanics behind Pokémon battling have been simplified from those presented in the handheld and console games. Stats On GPX+, stats are only determined from Base Stats, IVs (Individual Values), and Nature; EVs, or Effort Values, are completely absent. The Base Stats are taken from the game coding and are not altered for GPX+. IVs are indicated in brackets on the Pokémon's summary screen; these are determined from the moment the egg is created. Nature behaves identically to how they are in the games. In an attempt to add balance to the battling system and increase the number of viable Pokémon choices, the final stats of all Pokemon are normalized depending on their evolutionary stage. Stage 1 Pokemon are normalized such that the sum of all the stats is 300; Stage 2 Pokemon are normalized to a sum of 450, and Stage 3 Pokemon, as well as those that cannot evolve, are normalized to a sum of 600. Type Effectiveness Most of the Generation V Type Chart is preserved for the GPX+ Battle Tower, but a few changes were made for the sake of balance: * Normal is Super Effective against Ghost * Poison is Super Effective against Bug * All other Ineffectiveness is treated as Doubly Not Very Effective; for example, Electric will do 1/4 Normal Effective damage against Ground types. Moves The mechanics of Pokemon moves have been greatly simplified from how they operate in the games. All moves are classified as either Strong or Weak. A Pokemon can use Weak moves as often as possible, but Strong moves all share the same 3 PP pool each Pokemon uses. There are only 4 damage dealing moves for each type; two Physical and two Special, and one of each Strong and Weak. Strong damaging moves have 90 base power, and Weak moves have 50 base power. Mono-type Pokemon have access to all 4 moves of their type, while dual-type Pokemon only have access to the two Weak moves of their types. None of the damage-dealing moves have additional effects. A Pokemon's moveset can be altered via the "Attacks and hold items" option from its drop-down menu. The attacking moves can be exchanged for a variety of "Status"-class moves which, like the damage-dealing moves, are classified as Strong or Weak. Pure "status" movesets are not permitted; one of the moves in the Pokemon's movelist must be a Weak damage-dealing move. All status moves are taken from the games, in certain cases with some modification: Weak status moves: * All moves that sharply raise one of the user's stats or sharply lower one of the opponent's stats. * Focus Energy * Lucky Chant * Haze * Roar (does not work in Rotation Battles) Strong status moves: * Mean Look (does not work in Rotation Battles) * Protect (cannot fail) * Psych Up * Recover (heals 40% of the user's HP) * Rest (heals 80% of the user's HP. Does not cause Sleep, but delays action for one turn) NPCs NPCs are computer-controlled "trainers" that have pre-defined teams of 3 or 6 Pokémon that a user can challenge at any time, often with a 1-hour cooldown between matches. Aside from a reliable source of experience, the NPCs help demonstrate the mechanics of the Battle Tower and provide different challenges for the user to test their teams. The GPX+ staff has also expressed interest in using NPC trainers as exploration tasks; the first one was introduced in the "A Ripple in Time" exploration, with more to come in the future. Permanent NPCs Exploration NPCs